AAC Spike

Wheat

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'AAC Magnet' and 'AAC Viewfield'

Summary: The flag leaf auricles of 'AAC Spike' have a medium to strong intensity of anthocyanin colouration while the flag leaf auricles of 'AAC Magnet' have an absent or very weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration. At maturity, the plants, including the spike and awns, of 'AAC Spike' are shorter than the plants of 'AAC Magnet'. The spike of 'AAC Spike' has an erect attitude while the spike of 'AAC Viewfield' has an inclined attitude. The kernel of 'AAC Spike' is dark red in colour while the kernel of 'AAC Magnet' is medium red.

Description:

PLANT: common wheat, spring type, intermediate to semi-prostrate growth habit at 5 to 9 tiller stage, heads emerge early to mid-season, plants mature early to mid-season

SEEDLING (4 LEAF STAGE): medium to strong intensity of anthocyanin colouration of coleoptile, glabrous sheath and blade of lower leaves

FLAG LEAF: medium to strong intensity of anthocyanin colouration of auricles, medium to strong glaucosity of sheath and lower side of blade, glabrous sheath and blade

CULM: medium to strong glaucosity at heading, straight neck at maturity
STRAW (AT MATURITY): thin to medium width pith in cross-section

SPIKE: medium to strong glaucosity at heading, tapering to parallel sided in profile, medium density, yellow brown at maturity, erect attitude at maturity, sparse to medium hairiness of convex surface of apical rachis segment at maturity
AWNS: shorter than spike, white to light brown
LOWER GLUME: medium to long, medium to wide, glabrous, sparse to medium extent of external/internal hair
LOWER GLUME SHOULDER: medium to broad, straight to slightly sloping
LOWER GLUME BEAK: short, slightly to moderately curved
LOWEST LEMMA: straight beak

KERNEL: hard red type, dark red, medium sized, short to medium in length and width, oval, rounded cheek, short to medium length brush hairs
KERNEL CREASE: medium to wide, shallow to medium depth
GERM: small to medium sized, oval

BREAD MAKING QUALITY: good

REACTION TO INSECTS: susceptible to Orange Wheat Blossom Midge (Sitodiplosis mosellana)

Origin & Breeding History: 'AAC Spike' (experimental designations PT4002 and 15SB68*K0229) resulted from the cross between the varieties 'AAC Viewfield' and 'AAC Magnet' conducted at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Brandon Research and Development Centre in Brandon, Manitoba in 2015. From the resulting F1 generation, double haploid lines were created in 2016 and grown as hill plots in a disease nursery in Brandon, Manitoba in 2017. Selected lines, including 15SB68*K0229, were grown in rows in Leeston, New Zealand with further selections evaluated in multi-location yield trials in Manitoba and Saskatchewan in 2018 and 2019. 15SB68*K0229 was further evaluated as PT4002 in the Parkland Bread Wheat Registration trials from 2020 to 2022. Breeder seed was established at the DH7 generation in 2022.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trials for 'AAC Spike' were conducted at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Saskatoon Research and Development Centre in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan during the 2022 and 2023 growing seasons. There were 3 replicates arranged in a RCB design. Each plot consisted of 5 rows, each row measuring 3.35 metres long, with an inter-row spacing of 18 centimetres. The planting density of 264 seeds per square metre resulted in approximately 2360 plants per variety per year. Measured characteristics were based on 21 measurements per variety per year. Mean differences were significant at the 5% confidence level based on a paired Students t-test.

Comparison table for 'AAC Spike' with reference varieties 'AAC Magnet' and 'AAC Viewfield'

Plant height at maturity (stem, spike including awns) (cm)

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Wheat: 'AAC Spike' (centre) with reference varieties 'AAC Viewfield' (left) and 'AAC Magnet' (right)

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Wheat: 'AAC Spike' (centre) with reference varieties 'AAC Magnet' (left) and 'AAC Viewfield' (right)